Metaphor: "Thou art become (O worst imprisonment!) / The dungeon of thyself" (155-156).
The chorus laments Samson's blindness, comparing his own body to a dungeon. Here, the chorus suggests that Samson is doubly imprisoned—first by his blindness, which forces him to live in constant darkness, and second by his actual enslavement by the Philistines.
Simile: "Like a petty god / I walked about admired of all" (529-530).
Samson compares himself to a small god in the times before he was betrayed by Delilah. Here, Samson emphasizes the extent to of his strength and notoriety, underscoring his despair over how far he has since fallen.
Metaphor: "Vain monument of strength" (570).
Samson refers to himself as a monument when he imagines leaving prison and living with Manoa. He perceives that his body is now useless for Israel, as it is only a memory of the strength he used to possess.
Simile: "Female of sex it seems, / That so bedecked, ornate, and gay, / Comes this way sailing / Like a stately ship" (711-714).
When Delila approaches the prison, the chorus compares her to a ship. This comparison showcases Delilah's composure, comfort, and intrigue that still tempts Samson, and foreshadows the chorus's declaration that women are too beautiful on the outside to be trusted on the inside.
Simile: "Because they shall not rail me through their streets / Like a wild beast, I am content to go" (1402-1403).
Samson decides to go with the officer once he feels the restoration of his strength. Here, he commits to inhibiting the Philistines from parading him around the way they want to—like an animal or subhuman captive. Instead, Samson will retain his dignity and, unbeknownst to the Philistines, his capacity for revenge.
